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Statins raise type 2 diabetes risk by 60 per cent

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Cholesterol-lowering statins do raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, a major new review has confirmed. The risk can rise by as much as 60 per cent depending on the drug being taken.

Earlier studies had seen that the drugs increase diabetes risk—although it was only between 9 and 13 per cent—but researchers from the University of Milan have discovered it raises the risk far more.

On average the drugs increase the risk by 44 per cent, but it can be as high as 61 per cent for people taking Crestor (rosuvastatin), one of the most successful drugs in the statin family and often described as a 'super statin'.

The risk seems to increase with length of use and higher doses.

The researchers took another look at 20 studies, which involved more than 1,000 people taking a statin.

They say that there needs to be a more rigorous monitoring of statin patients, especially if they are already pre-diabetic or have risk factors for diabetes.